notes from the bigfug

I remember sitting in the large, padded chair of the Bradford IMAX cinema twenty-one years ago, watching films selected to show the development of large film projection techniques, leading up to IMAX itself.  The film I remember the most was an experiment of multi-screen projection: five square screens arranged in a cross shape.  At times the screens would act as a mask for one large image, at others they would duplicate images, or be entirely different.  The only image I distinctly recall were cows having their throats slit in an abattoir.  Somewhat nauseating, it was repeated across several screens, jumping from one to the other, the eye repelled trying to focus on the other screens, but being drawn back by the visceral intensity.

For a single screen image the eye is most often directed to the point of interest by a combination of visual clues (position in frame, depth of field, lighting) and our natural predilections of attention such as people’s eyes and difference of movement.  The speed and intensity of popular films, TV, and ‘VJ’ visuals have measurably increased over time, and developed a whole new language of technique, though it is generally in the linear line of time: faster editing, jerky hand-held camera, scratched video.  It is a balance then, of interest of content over time.

With multiple screens this (overwhelmingly simplified) equation breaks down and one has to consider a third dimension.  To have two screens with content of interest separated by space so one cannot possibly look at both simultaneously forces us to subconsciously choose, or flit between both, settling on neither.  Somewhat like being taken to a fair at a young age and being so dazzled by the array of possible rides that you just don’t know which to go for first.  Unlike that situation, by the time you’ve chosen, the others have changed completely.

Lack of eye movement, and lack of changing the depth of ones focal point can both contribute to ‘bad’ eyesight.  In order to partake in most media based activities, we are forced into this state.  The use of multiple screens in an environment could be used to break this confine and encourage awareness and interaction in an omni-directional manner.  The trick being to present an understandable and interesting surrounding for the participants.  Introducing this new dimension is complicated and baffling at times, but I believe out of this line of thought will come new and exciting opportunities for both expression and experience.